WASHINGTON - The outgoing top US diplomat for East Asia says China should take more action to send an unambiguous signal to North Korea to stop its nuclear and missile programmes.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha shakes hands with Daniel Russel for photographers on Dec 16, 2015. (Photo courtesy Government House)
China says it is suspending coal imports from North Korea, an important source of its foreign revenue.
Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel said Thursday the action was in line with UN sanctions, but he hoped Beijing was also swayed by a recent North Korean missile test, and the assassination of the North Korean leader's exiled half brother.
Russel said that he was stepping down as assistant secretary effective March 8 to spend one year as diplomat-in-residence at the Asia Society think tank.
He said he wasn't pushed out by the Trump administration and will remain a State Department employee.
His visit to Thailand after the coup in May, 2014, brought angry statements and street protests against his insistence that the junta must call elections and return democracy.